The best rock picks | Raleigh News & Observer

It’s almost quaint to think about now, but downtown Raleigh used to be a dead zone almost every night. In those late-1990s years when Fayetteville Street was a pedestrian mall, there just wasn’t much reason to go downtown after dark. But that started to change in 1999, when two new downtown nightspots opened: Lakeside Lounge and Kings Barcade, both offering good live music in hangout-friendly settings. Both clubs have gone through some changes since then, including a three-year hiatus for Kings when the original McDowell Street location was torn down. But the Lakeside’s space at 227 S. Wilmington St. is still a club, although these days it’s known as Slim’s – and it’s marking its 15-year anniversary. Festivities include Gross Ghost and American Aquarium on Friday, and Enemy Waves plus amply cool special guests on Saturday. See slimsraleigh.com for details.